The FUJI GT SPRINT RACE, Round 4 of the 2025 AUTOBACS SUPER GT series took place on August 2nd at Fuji Speedway (one lap 4,563 m x 35 laps) in Shizuoka Prefecture. Although there were no real problems as feared due to the Typhoon No. 9 passing close, there were some sprinkles of rain near the end of the race, but the race successfully reached its goal. In the GT500 class, Sho Tsuboi in the No. 1 au TOM’S GR Supra who had finished 2nd in the qualifying, took the lead in the early going and appeared to be on the way to a perfect win. In the GT300 class, Charlie Fagg in the No. 777 D’station Vantage GT3 came up from 4th position on the starting grid to take a come-from-behind win. Tomorrow, August 3rd (Sun.) will see the holding of Race 2.

　Race 1 of Round 4 was competed after an interval of approximately two and a half hours from qualifying. After having completed the qualifying in fair weather, rain clouds began to emerge around Fuji Speedway, but before the race started there were also some patches of blue sky. This meant that the air temperature was still a hot 34℃. At 3:15 in the afternoon, following the formation lap, Race 1 began as a roughly 160km/35lap race, making it about half the distance of a normal (300 km) SUPER GT race.

　The start saw the pole-starting No. 2 HYPER WATER INGING GR86 GT (Hibiki Taira) succeeded in entering the TGR Corner first, with the No. 61 SUBARU BRZ R&D SPORT (Hideki Yamauchi) following in 2nd position. Behind them, the No. 777 D’station Vantage GT3 (Charlie Fagg) that started from 4th position on the grid jumped up in place to 3rd position.

　On the opening lap of the race there was a collision between two GT500 class cars coming out of the Coca-Cola Corner. With one of the two cars crashing into the wall, the result was an immediate Safety Car run. After the race was re-started on the 6th lap, car No. 2 remained in the lead, but was closely followed by cars No. 61, No. 777 and No. 4.

　The balance among the lead cars began to deteriorate on the 10th lap. At the TGR corner, car No. 777 running in 2nd position was able to pass the leading car No. 61. Behind them, car No. 4 and the No. 6 UNI-ROBO BLUEGRASS FERRARI (Roberto Merhi Munta) were involved in an increasingly fierce battle. It was car No. 6 that would emerge from that battle and then go on to pass the slowing car No. 61 to move into 3rd position. And it would be followed by car No. 4.

　However, because No. 6 in its push to move to the front had just barely crossed the start line when the Safety Car withdrew to re-start the race, it was given a drive-through penalty that dropped it back in the order. Also, the No. 56 REALIZE NISSAN MECHANIC CHALLENGE GT-R (Joao Paulo de Oliveira) that had managed to power to the front from a grid position of 9th, and the reigning champion No. 0 VENTENY Lamborghini GT3 (Takashi Kogure) started to slow down due to machine trouble, among other disturbances.

　After the 15th lap of the race, the leading No. 2, No. 777 and No. 4 began to come together, and a fierce battle developed between these three leaders. Furthermore, on the 17th lap a sprinkling of rain began to fall, increasing the tension on the track as the race entered its final stages.

　On the 21st lap, car No. 777 moved in on the in-side of car No. 2 at the TGR corner. As the pace of car No. 2 faltered, it was also passed by No. 4 and No. 777, as well as the No. 65 LEON PYRAMID AMG (Naoya Gamou) that had gradually worked its way up from 7th position on the starting grid, thus dropping No. 2 back to 5th position all at once.

　Despite the sprint race format this time, it was still SUPER GT. The lead order changed hands repeatedly, and this time behind the leading No. 777 Aston Martin, the No. 4 and No. 65 Mercedes cars kept the pressure on. At one point, car No. 4 made a move on No. 777, and taking advantage of the moment, No. 65 moved up alongside No. 4, in another daring move. With 7 laps remaining, the close battle between the three lead cars was playing out within the space of less than 1 sec. However, Fagg in car No. 777 was able to hold out until the end and take the checkered Flag first.

　For the No. 777 D’station Vantage GT3 (Charlie Fagg) this was their first win of the season, and its second win after last year’s win in Round 3 at SUZUKA. Finishing in 2nd place was the No. 4 GOODSMILE HATSUNE MIKU AMG (Tatsuya Kataoka). Third place went to the No. 65 LEON PYRAMID AMG (Naoya Gamou). Finishing in 4th place was the No. 7 CARGUY Ferrari 296 GT3 (Rikuto Kobayashi). Also, a fierce battle for 5th place continued between three cars until the final lap and was finally won by the No. 52 Green Brave GR Supra GT (Hiroki Yoshida) that had finished 2nd in the previous round Round 3 in Malaysia.